Adding Texture
FLANNEL
Patchwork and quilting with flannel is
popular thanks to its soft, wool-like
nature, which creates super-cosy quilts.
For a different look the seams used for
flannel can be on the outside of the work
and then snipped into to create a ragged
edge. Flannel was originally made with
wool but can be made from other fibres,
including cotton and synthetics.
Hot wash flannels before you use them
as they can shrink (although good quality
flannel will shrink less). Using spray
starch on the wrong side before use will
make them firmer to handle.
Flannels usually fray, so use a slightly
wider 1.3cm (½in) seam allowance.
Machine sew flannels using larger
needles – we recommend 80/12–100/16.
Using a walking foot in your machine
will help reduce flannel’s tendency to
stretch. If the flannel is quite thick, use a
thinner wadding to compensate. Quilting
can be more difficult through flannel, so
consider tying your quilt instead, or hand
quilting with large stitches.
LIGHTWEIGHT FABRICS
Lightweight fabrics you might like to try
include silk, satin and voile. Sheer
fabrics, such as organza and decorative
lace, are best saved for appliqué effects.
Silk dupion can be used for patchwork
and quilting as it’s easy to sew through,
irons fairly well and comes in a good
range of colours. Satins give a lovely
sheen but are slippery to handle and are
more prone to fraying and scorching.
Lightweight fabrics often fray more
easily. To minimise this, handle them
carefully, avoid having cut pieces lying
around for a long time before use, and
increase your seam allowance to 1cm
(^3 / 8 in) or 1.3cm (½in).
Large dressmaking pins can leave
holes in delicate fabrics, so use fine pins
when securing them. Flimsy fabrics can
be backed with lightweight fusible
interfacing to give them more body.
Machine sew and quilt lightweight
fabrics with needle sizes 60/8–80/12.
Hand quilt using needle sizes 7–12.
Match the wadding you plan to use
with the fabrics, choosing a thinner
wadding for thinner fabrics.
HEAVYWEIGHT FABRICS
Heavyweight fabrics you might like to try
include denim, wool and velvet, while
thinner furnishing fabrics can be useful
for bag making. Avoid using stretch
denims. A thinner cotton velveteen is
easy to work with than a thick velvet.
Remember that because these fabrics are
heavier they won’t be as easy to sew.
Sewing heavier fabrics means using
stronger needles, so you’ll need to use
thicker machine needles, such as an
80/12, 90/14 or even 100/16 size.
Press seams open if you can, rather
than to one side, to avoid excessive bulk,
and consider tying the quilt layers
together instead of quilting.SYNTHETIC FABRICS
Man-made fabrics, such as nylon,
polyester, acrylic, lurex and combination
fabrics with sparkly or metallic surfaces,
can be used in a limited way in
patchwork. Making a whole quilt with
these types of fabrics is not usually
practical as they’re normally quite thin,they don’t crease well and the reaction of
some of them to repeated laundering and
ironing is unpredictable. Save them for
special effects, such as appliqué, and for
projects that will not need cleaning.FELT
Craft felt and wool felt are not useful for
traditionally pieced quilts but are very
popular for small projects and appliqué.
Because felt is a bonded fabric not a
woven one, it doesn’t fray, which means
that the edges can be left cut and not
hemmed. Wool felt, which is made from
a mixture of wool and rayon, is softer
and more flexible than craft felt and
comes in a wider range of colours.Beginner’s Guide to Quilting 143RECYCLED FABRICS
In the past, people couldn’t afford
to buy new fabric, so they’d turn to
recycled fabrics for their raw
materials. This ‘make do and
mend’ philosophy has enjoyed a
revival in recent years, and more
crafters than ever are keen to
recycle and not waste materials.
Recycling is a great way to
preserve heirloom fabrics –
precious pieces from the past that
bring wonderful memories of times
gone by. Why not turn outgrown
baby vests into a family memento?
The most useful fabrics to recycle
are linens and cottons, such as
cotton shirts. Thin, non-stretch
denims are handy for outdoor use,
such as picnic quilts and garden
furniture throws. Bed linen can also
be used – old sheets are great for
quilt backing or cushion backs.
Avoid stretchy fabrics, such asjersey or stretch knits, as they can
be tricky to sew. If you only have a
small amount of vintage fabric,
use it to add smaller accents to a
bigger quilt design.
When making recycled quilts,
choose a simple design that will
be easy to piece. Make sure you
wash all second-hand fabrics
before use to check the colours
are colour fast and won’t shrink.
When cutting fabrics, cut them
out in large pieces whenever you
can, discarding seams, collars
and button bands. That said,
details from garments, such as the
pockets on jeans, can be used to
provide cute decorative touches.
Check the pieces carefully to
see if any have excessive wear or
have been stretched, such as
elbows and knees. Press all the
cut fabric pieces and store them
flat if possible, ready for use.